Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Tim Eldred was named the National Sheriff’s Association Chaplain of the Year during a ceremony Monday at the NSA Annual Conference in Nashville .
NSA President Paul F. Fitzgerald of Story County, Iowa, and Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold presented the award to Chaplain Eldred.
Chaplain Eldred said he quickly learned he couldn’t “play church” with law enforcement officers but had to reach the officers by listening. He thanked both Sheriff Arnold and Sheriff Blake Dorning of Madison County , Ala. , for supporting him for the honor.
Rev. Eldred became chaplain in 2001 for the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. In that capacity, Eldred spends about 20 hours per week with officers and families, makes himself available if the officers want to “share with a spiritual leader,” officiates at officer weddings, counsels and listens carefully to officers during ride-alongs and responds to needs of the sheriff’s office.
“I don’t tell them how to be cops, I tell them how to be sensitive to their own personal values and understanding their spiritual purpose,” Eldred said.
Sheriff Arnold described Rev. Eldred as a “true spiritual leader, which is extremely important in this day and time and especially important to law enforcement officers everywhere.”
Law enforcement officers tend to bottle up emotions, the sheriff said.
“Rev. Eldred’s caring and sharing acts of love, kindness, encouragement and dedication go above and beyond in helping our officers cope with the daily pressures, needs and stress of their job, their family and friends,” Sheriff Arnold said. “He is also instrumental in helping our officers become quality professionals, is an outstanding spiritual motivator and instills positive attitudes in those around him.”
Sheriff Dorning nominated Rev. Eldred after working with him on the annual Christian Law Enforcement Summit Eldred organized to encourage law enforcement officers and their families in following their faith.
“Tim is that silent hero of God carrying on man’s work through his Christian Law Enforcement Fellowship,” Dorning said.
Rutherford County Patrol Lt. Joe Gray said Chaplain Eldred had a vision to advise officers and families in need.
“I have watched him through deaths, officer-involved shooting incidents, demotions and promotions of officers and through a change in administration at our department without a change in his devotion to law enforcement officers and their needs,” Lt. Gray said.
Rev. Eldred was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister in 1974 in Bishop, Texas . He served as a minister of music and youth, a minister of music, youth and education, an associate pastor, evangelist and pastor. He presently serves as pastor of Christ’s Servants Baptist Church , a church founded in 2003 to support the chaplaincy program at the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.